RELATED – BENDIGO BRAVES SEASON STAT LEADERS Bendigo Braves star Ray Turner is confident this Friday night's game against Canberra can kickstart a big second half of the season. The Braves lost four of their last five games leading into the general bye and have slipped out of the SEABL top eight. "We have all the pieces to win the championship,'' Turner said. "It's just a matter of putting those pieces together and letting the game come to us instead of forcing it." Turner said the break came at the perfect time for him and the Braves. "I've been playing with a foot injury, so it was good to be able to rest it,'' Turner said. "For the most part the foot is feeling better, but I'm the type of guy that will keeping play through it. "As a team we've had a good chat and the stress has lifted. We want to have fun with what we're doing." The Braves have been on the road as much as any team in the competition in the first half of the season. Six of their final nine games are in the new Bendigo Stadium. "It's been hard playing so many games on the road, so I can't wait to play more games at home,'' Turner said. "The new stadium is great and we get great support from the fans. "With the position we're in, to have most of our remaining games at home is a big advantage. "We can turn this around and then take it to the play-offs and make it happen. "We need to stay relaxed and play our style of basketball." Turner is in his first year in the SEABL and he likes what he sees. "I love the challenge and the level of the professionalism here,'' Turner said. "I'm really enjoying it." The Braves and Canberra game starts at 8pm on Friday night at Bendigo Stadium. ………………………………... Braves’ season results: • 78 def Diamond Valley 77 • 92 def Hobart 88 • 89 def Mt Gambier 75 • 93 def Albury Wodonga 72 • 87 lt BA CoE 91 • 88 def Canberra 72 • 74 lt Melbourne 84 • 75 lt BA CoE 86 • 82 lt Dandenong 91 • 81 def Sandringham 73 • 66 lt Kilsyth 89 ………………………………... SEABL men’s ladder: Kilsyth – 92 Ballarat – 9-2 Nunawading – 8-3 Hobart – 8-3 Dandenong – 8-4 Melbourne – 7-4 BA CoE – 7-5 NW Tasmania – 7-5 Geelong – 6-5 Bendigo – 6-5 Mt Gambier – 4-6 Albury Wodonga – 4-7 Diamond Valley – 3-9 Sandringham – 3-10 Frankston – 2-11 Canberra – 0-10

Braves’ opportunity to kickstart 2018 season against Canberra

CONFIDENCE: Bendigo Braves import says his side has all the pieces to win this year's SEABL Championship. The Braves, who are 6-5, take on the winless Canberra at home on Friday night. Picture: GLENN DANIELS